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Norwich Cathedral amazing 5767 organ pipe video 

A magnificent musical jigsaw puzzle has been put together at Norwich Cathedral in recent months as almost 6,000 pipes of the Cathedral’s historic organ were reinstalled.

It took expert organ builders Harrison and Harrison nearly three months to carefully reinstall most of the pipes – and in a newly released timelapse video here or below you can watch their work in just under six minutes.
 
Photographer Bill Smith recorded the timelapse video and the accompanying music is Toccata from Symphony 5 by Widor, played by the Cathedral’s Master of Music Ashley Grote. The music recording is courtesy of Priory Records.
 
The organ’s pipes had been removed in 2022 and taken to Harrison and Harrison’s base in Durham for specialist work as part of an ambitious 15-month project that aims to ensure that people will be able to enjoy hearing the Cathedral organ’s music long into the future.
 
The pipes were returned earlier this year and the bulk of the installation process took place from January to March 2023.
 
The team from Harrison and Harrison are now concentrating on the important task of tuning each and every one of the 5,767 pipes which range in size from about the length of a pencil to an incredible 32ft (almost 10 metres). The process, known as ‘voicing’, started on Monday 24 April and will carry on for eight to 10 weeks, with the work expected to be finished by early July.
 
Ashley Grote, Norwich Cathedral’s Master of Music, said: “The rebuilding of the Cathedral’s magnificent pipe organ represents an exciting new chapter in our musical life. Norwich will be home to one of the country’s finest pipe organs, fit to serve the city and county for many decades to come, to lead our Cathedral worship and play a central role in the many special services and civic events that take place here. In 2024 we are looking forward to launching an exciting new programme of concerts, many of which will be free to attend. In addition, the return of the organ presents new opportunities for us to engage children in the musical life of the cathedral, through music and education projects.”
 
The organ – a key part of musical life at the Cathedral - is one of the biggest of its kind in the country and the extensive rebuild project is the instrument’s first complete overhaul since it was rebuilt in 1942, following a fire which partially destroyed the instrument in April 1938.
 
The 15-month project – which is costing about £1.8m – is being funded by money raised from the £2.5m They Shall Laugh and Sing Music Appeal.
 
There are references to an organ at Norwich Cathedral dating back to the 14th century and the current organ, a 105-stop pipe organ built by the Norwich firm of Norman and Beard, was originally installed in 1899.
 
Organ reborn!, the inaugural concert on the rebuilt organ, will take place on 25 November at 7pm and will see internationally-renowned organist Thomas Trotter perform a programme of works including music by Bach, Guilmant, Willan, Dove, Karg-Elert and Mendelssohn. Tickets cost £7.50-£15 and can be booked via www.cathedral.org.uk


 


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